Emulsion polymerization systems are well known for the production of many types of polymers including rubbery styrene-butadiene polymers and polymers containing acrylonitrile. In commercially used processes it is desirable to minimize the amount of residual monomer in the latex. This is desirable from an environmental point of view to minimize exposure to hydrocarbon monomers which may be odiferous or may present more serious health concerns. From an economic point of view the saving of 1 to 0.5 percent of free monomer is a significant cost saving to a plant. The current methods of reducing the residual monomer in a latex tend to be time consuming and slow down production. Furthermore, these processes tend to be energy intensive adding a further cost burden to the product.